| CareerZone Lesson Plan Registry
http://www.nycareerzone.org/resources/lessonplans |
| FAMOUS AMERICANS: Making a Difference Through Careers |
| Author(s): Uzo Unobagha |
| Grades: 4 - 8 |
| Subject: Career Development and Occupational Studies |
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| Learning Context:
1. Each student will select a famous American person and research his or her background and contributions to society (early life, education, career, achievements, and contributions). 2. Students will use CareerZone to research the following aspects of the famous person's career: career title, definition, tasks, interests, skills, abilities, knowledge, education, school subjects, and wages. 3. Students will fill out famous person's CareerZone Info Organizer. 4. Students will write an essay incorporating the following components: a. Name of famous person b. Background (early life, education) c. Career d. How the famous person made a difference to society through his/her career. e. One other difference the famous person could have made to society. f. Why the famous person did not make this further difference. g. If the student had the famous person's career, what difference in present society would the student want to make through the career? h. One obstacle the student would face in trying to make this difference in present society and how the student can overcome this obstacle. i. What the student likes about the famous person and why. 5. Students will study the nature of a Cinquain or Acrostic poem and create one such poem on the famous person selected, using information gathered. 6. Students will create a poster with a motivational slogan or phrase reflecting the famous person's career contribution to society. (Example: "Martin Luther King, Jr. - He was a Preacher - He preached peace and equality to all) *Students will need to know how to use the CareerZone software LEARNING STANDARDS: ELA #1,2,3,4 CDOS #1,2 SS #1 ARTS #1 |
| Procedure:
1. Students will work either individually or in cooperative learning groups of 3-5 students, to research write, and present their essays and poems. 2. Students will present their essays and poems to the class. 3. During each presentation, the teacher and other students will write down at least one criticism and one commendation of the presenter's work, using the Teacher/Peer Assessment Form. They will share these at the end of the presentation. 4. The teacher, acting as a facilitator, will monitor, guide, and support students' learning and work. 5. The Art teacher will guide and support students to create their motivational posters. |
| Instructional/Environmental Modifications:
For cooperative learning groups, the teacher will arrange student seating clusters of 3-5. |
| Materials and Supplies:
Students will be provided with: 1. Books and software on biographies of various famous Americans 2. CareerZone software 3. Folders 4. Paper 5. Writing materials |
| Time Required:
4-6 weeks Week 1 - selection of famous person and research Week 2 - essay writing Week 3 - essay presentations Week 4 - poetry writing and presentations Week 5 - poster creating and presentations Week 6 - final assessments and display of poems/posters on bulletin boards. |
| Assessment Tools and Techniques:
1. Authentic Performance Task/Project: See rubrics for essay and poem. 2. Teacher/Peer Feedback on essays and poems, using Teacher/Peer Assessment Form 3. Informal checks by teacher for student understanding. 4. Student Self-Assessment Portfolio - guided by teacher, students will critique their essays, poems, and posters and place their works and self-assessments in portfolios. 5. The Art teacher will assess and critique the motivational posters. |
| Reflections:
This unit: 1. Can be modified to suit the needs of students at different age levels. 2. Is an effective vehicle for integrating students' learning across the curriculum. 3. Enables the teacher to utilize a range of constructive teaching strategies and authentic assessments like: acting as a facilitator to student learning, cooperative learning groups, rubrics, performance task/project, student self and peer assessment/feedback and portfolio. |
| Attachments:
Attachment 1 |